


So You Had a Bad Day

by writeallnight



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Blood, Head Wound, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Romance, Unconsciousness, Vomiting, Whump, concussion, puking, throwing up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-22 00:53:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30030531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writeallnight/pseuds/writeallnight
Summary: Carlos' bad day has gone from bad to worse. A little tag for 2x8 "Bad Call."
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Comments: 6
Kudos: 208





	So You Had a Bad Day

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, hello, yes, I am in love with these boys and their love for each other, so hopefully I have done them justice! Bless the 911 gods for giving us this whumpy, emotional episode. Fingers crossed for lots more in the rest of the season! Enjoy!

They burst through the door and it takes about three seconds for Carlos to assess the situation; Tommy with her hands in the air, Wolfe holding a gun, Nancy on the floor with someone else, and TK…

Owen fires, Wolfe drops, and Carlos is moving before he even realizes it. “TK!”

All he can see is his boyfriend slumped over, blood seeping from a wound to his head. Carlos pulls him into his arms, catching a quick glimpse of the panic and pain in TK’s eyes. “You’re okay,” Carlos murmurs, as much to reassure TK as himself. “You’re okay, I got you.”

“Oh my god.” TK’s words are half sobbed, half incoherent, his breathing fast and panicked as he clutches at Carlo’s jacket.

“You’re okay,” Carlos repeats. “You’re safe.”

He’s holding TK so tightly that he feels when his boyfriend goes limp, head lolling to the side. “TK, TK hey! Hey!” he pulls back, holding him tightly by the shoulders so he doesn’t fall off the chair, panic ripping through him as he sees exactly how much blood is seeping through the bandages. “Captain Strand!”

TK’s father appears beside him, concern etched into his face as he tenderly cups his son’s cheek. “TK, can you hear me?”

There’s no response and Carlos’ chest tightens so much that he can’t draw in a single breath. “He’s been in and out of it,” Tommy says from where she’s still working on her would-be killer. “They hit him pretty hard.”

Carlos can hear sirens outside and within minutes emergency vehicles have pulled into the lot and another paramedic team is coming toward them. Tommy calls out from where she is on the floor, “Patient one is a twenty-six year old male. Probable concussion, possible fractured skull. He’s been in and out of consciousness for about an hour.”

Carlos stops listening as she moves onto her own patient. He doesn’t care about anything but TK who is looking so pale he could be a ghost. It feels like the shooting incident all over again.

“Let’s get him on the gurney.” Owen’s voice pulls Carlos out of his own thoughts and back to the situation at hand.

They each take an arm and lift under TK’s shoulders. TK stirs as Carlos tenderly cradles his head and lowers it to rest against the padding. His eyes open, slightly unfocused. “Car-los?” he says, confused.

“Hey babe.” Carlos smiles down at him, running a soothing hand up and down his arm. “I’m right here. Just relax and let us take care of you okay?”

He steps back to let the medics do their work. They change out the gauze on TK’s head and hand him an ice pack which he presses to his aching skull. He still seems out of it, taking far too long to answer questions and struggling to follow the paramedic’s basic commands.

“We’re going to take him in. Do you want to ride with us?” one of the medics asks when they’re done.

Carlos nods. “Yes. Please.”

They pause outside the ambulance as the medics prepare to lift TK inside and Carlos looks up to find his father walking toward him.

Their interaction is…strangely pleasant? Definitely not how he thought the day would end. Although none of today has gone as planned, so why should this be any different?

When he joins TK in the ambulance his boyfriend is not happy. “I just want to go home,” he says as Carlos interlocks their fingers once more.

“I know,” Carlos says, pressing a kiss to his hairline. “But we have to get you checked out.”

“It’s just a headache,” TK gripes, eyes sliding closed again.

Carlos knows it could be so much more than that, especially with the severity of TK’s symptoms. Words like “brain bleed” and “skull fracture” flitter through his mind and he grips TK’s hand tightly until TK cracks one eyelid and says, “Ow.”

“Sorry.” Carlos loosens his grip, running his thumb soothingly over the back of TK’s hand.

They’re halfway to the hospital when TK’s face takes on a strange look and he swallows hard. “What’s wrong?” Carlos asks.

“I don’t—“ TK swallows again and moves his free hand to his stomach, “I don’t feel good.”

The paramedic produces an emesis bag and Carlos watches helplessly as TK throws up. God it hurts to see him like this. When TK finally collapses back against the gurney he looks worse than ever and all Carlos can do is place a gentle hand carefully on his hair, comfortingly running his fingers back and forth.

TK lapses back into unconsciousness as they arrive, stretching Carlos’ already taught nerves to their breaking point. He rouses slightly as they pull up to the hospital, but his speech is slurred and he throws up again on their way into the ER.

Being a cop and a frequent visitor at the hospital gets Carlos a hall pass to stay with TK while he’s examined. His scans come back clean, no visible brain bleed or skull fracture, but TK is still struggling with severe symptoms so they decide to keep him overnight and transfer him to a room. Within minutes Gwyn is there and Owen finally makes an appearance an hour later.

Carlos wants Gwyn and the captain there, he knows TK is comforted by their presence. But exhaustion is creeping in and he finds himself wishing they would go. He just wants to climb into bed beside TK and sleep this day off.

Thank god for visiting hours and Gwyn’s impending flight, although Carlos suspects she’ll cancel and stay until TK is back on his feet. The Strands bid him and TK goodnight. A nurse comes in and gives him the side eye, but apparently his cop credit is getting him everything he wants tonight because she doesn’t tell him to leave.

She finishes her checks and leaves them in peace. TK tugs at Carlos’ hand. “Come here,” he says, eyes half lidded from the pain and brightness of the room.

Carlos resists. “You need to rest.”

“Which I’ll do better if you’re next to me.”

There’s not much room in the hospital bed, but Carlos doesn’t have any fight left in him so he caves to his boyfriend’s wishes. He dims the lights and then carefully slips into place beside TK, hands coming back together once more as they hold each other close.

“And here I thought you’d switched to a safer job. You scared the shit out of me tonight,” Carlos says, his voice less steady than he would like. But he’s tired and this is TK and he just can’t pretend to be fine anymore.

“I’m sorry,” TK says.

“It’s not your fault,” Carlos says, pulling him just a little closer. “What were you thinking though, trying to pull the fire alarm? You’re not supposed to play hero in situations like that.”

TK frowns at him. “I don’t have to ‘play hero,’ I am a hero.”

“Yes you are,” Carlos says fondly. Then he remembers. “I have something for you.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out TK’s chip. “It was smart of you to drop this. If you hadn’t…I don’t know that we would have—“ The words catch in his throat and he swallows them back down, tears stinging his eyes.

“But you did,” TK says softly. “You came for me. Thank you.”

“I will always come for you,” Carlos says fiercely. “Always.”

He feels TK stiffen against him, his grip growing tighter. “What’s wrong?” Carlos asks, half sitting up. “Are you in pain?”

TK’s face is scrunched up tightly. “It’ll pass,” he says through gritted teeth.

Carlos doesn’t believe him. “Do you want me to get the nurse? They can give you something non-narcotic.”

“No.” TK sucks in a sharp breath. “No, I’ll be all right. Just keep talking to me.”

So he talks about everything and nothing, his voice low and soft. Slowly TK’s face smooths out, body relaxing into sleep. Carlos shifts a little closer, one hand going to TK’s chest so he can feel him breathe. Within minutes his own eyes slide shut. Their bad day is over.


End file.
